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EPA Bribes People to Recycle Old Cell Phones With Teen Idols and Cold Cash

by Caleb Johnson on April 8, 2010 at 08:20 AM

You might not know it, but it's National Cell Phone Recycling Week. From April 5th through 11th, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is encouraging consumers to recycle all those old cell phones that are just laying around the house. According to NPR, Americans toss out about 130 million cell phones every year. Now, there are some intrepid folks out there fighting the battle against e-waste, but it's clear we're still facing a struggle. So, to push the point, the EPA has partnered with cell phone companies in order to spread the message across the Web.

Sprint posted a funny YouTube video that compares throwing a cell phone into a trash can to cooling your house by leaving the refrigerator door open. In other words, it's pretty wasteful. Samsung is targeting schools, because not only do they house the children our future, but they really get behind a good old-fashioned fundraiser. Samsung will give a private concert by the band Hey Monday to the school that recycles the most cell phones, and is also offering 'Green Grants' to other schools that recycle. The goal is to haul in 1 million cell phones, this week, from schools across the country. Those devices, once recycled, would yield 75 pounds of gold, 772 pounds of silver and 35,274 pounds of copper.


Some people change phones more often than they change clothes, and we're sure that at least a few of you are among them. So, browse through those cluttered drawers and closets. We know you have an old brick of a phone lying around somewhere. Not only will you accomplish some spring cleaning, but you'll help out a good cause, too. [From: NPR]

Tags: cellphone, e-waste, environment, environmental protection agency, EnvironmentalProtectionAgency, epa, green, recycling, samsung, schools, sprint, top

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